Disposable absorbent articles, such as infant or adult disposable diapers, generally are categorized into two types, a closed-type article such as a training pant and an open-type article having a flat configuration which includes front, crotch and rear sections. Either article typically includes a liquid impermeable back sheet, a liquid permeable top sheet and an absorbent core interposed therebetween. The core typically is connected along its surface area or at selected portions of its surface area to either the back sheet, the top sheet or both and absorbs and retains waste materials.
One drawback of such conventional integral absorbent articles, however, is that they tend to be displaced away from a wearer's body by movement of the body during use. This displacement causes drooping or sagging of the article in the crotch area and a pronounced bagginess of the article in the front or rear of the article which creates a space between the wearer and the core through which waste materials can leak. As a result, the desired absorbency of the absorbent core can not be fully utilized.
Additionally, leg gathers typically are provided to absorbent articles in the form of one or more elastic elements positioned at the side margins of the diaper. Leg gathers create a gathering force at the side marginal portions of the back sheet and top sheet and generally enhance the fit and comfort of the diaper and reduce leakage through the leg openings. Such leg gathers, however, tend to enhance sagging or bagginess of the inner or medial portion of the diaper since the gathers shorten the side margins while the central or medial portion of the diaper essentially remains at its original length.
Baggy diapers are quite bulky and interfere with the leg movements of the wearer and undesirably expose the typically moisture-impervious backing layer to the inside of the wearer's thighs. Additionally, outer clothing fits very poorly over such a baggy diaper and further adds to the discomfort of the infant or other wearer.
It therefore would be desirable to provide an absorbent article having a substantially free-floating absorbent structure or core suspended from an interior of an outer cover or back sheet for substantially independent movement with respect to the outer cover. Such an article enables the absorbent structure to be held snug against the body of a wearer while allowing the outer cover to move substantially freely with the wearer. This type of absorbent article provides increased absorptive qualities, reduces bagginess and resulting leakage and provides greater freedom of movement to the wearer.